Chapter Text
Ricky has no idea what he's looking at. Well, he does. It's his phone screen, and it's lit up by one text message. "I'll pick you up later." He stared at the message, confusion taking over his mind as he thought, "When did we get close like this?" He scrolled through the messages, only to find nothing.
He was currently at his parents' place, his mind still processing what the hell that message was about as he looked through his closet to find something, anything to wear. But having moved out early on, there was barely anything he could find. After digging deep enough into his closet, he finally found something somewhat decent and ironed it before touching up his makeup.
His phone buzzed again as he quickly put on his shoes, yelling out a goodbye to his very unquestioning parents. He was out the door, standing outside the house, as he softly looked around for a sign of the specific gray car. His phone buzzed against his outer thigh as he slipped it out of his pocket.
"A bit down from the house! I see you, just walk towards the end of the driveway."
He sighed as he walked according to the instructions he got. He spotted the car, taking in a deep breath before pulling the door handle and getting in. He didn't face the person in the driver's seat as he pulled his seatbelt on. A small chuckle was heard from the other person as Ricky raised a brow, still not meeting his eyes.
"Why are you acting so shy?" the other asked, driving off as he leaned back comfortably into his seat.
"I'm not shy," Ricky responded. "Why the sudden plans?" he questioned back.
The other's expression twitched slightly, which Ricky missed. He hummed instead, pretending to focus on driving as Ricky fidgeted with his phone.
The drive was quiet, only the soft noise of his playlist filling the car. Ricky sat stiffly at first, glancing out the window more than necessary, his fingers tapping lightly against his phone screen.
"Have you always been this quiet?" He asked after a while, eyes still on the road.
"Are you always this random?" Ricky shot back, finally turning his head slightly.
A small laugh. "Fair."
Ricky looked back out the window, but there was a hint of a smile this time. "You still didn't answer me, by the way."
"About?"
"The sudden plans."
He hummed, dragging it out like he was thinking too hard about it. "Can't I just want to see you?"
Ricky scoffed softly. "That sounds fake."
"It's not," the driver replied, a little quicker this time, then quieter, "You'll see."
Ricky frowned slightly at that, something about the way he said it sitting weirdly in his chest, but he didn't push.
The mall wasn't too far away, and soon enough the driver pulled into the parking lot. The engine turned off, the music cutting with it, leaving a brief silence hanging between them before he stepped out.
Ricky followed, closing the door behind him as they began walking inside. He had no idea where they were going, fully dependent on him for handling everything. It felt strange, too natural for something he didn't even remember building.
"Are you gonna tell me where we're going, or is this some mystery game?" Ricky asked, walking a step behind him.
"Relax," he said, glancing back. "I'm sure you'll like it."
"That's not reassuring."
"It should be."
Ricky rolled his eyes but didn't argue further, his curiosity getting the better of him as they weaved through the crowd.
They stopped, and Ricky nearly walked into him before realizing.
"…Wait."
He looked up properly this time, eyes landing on the familiar sign in front of them.
One of his favorite restaurants.
Ricky blinked, caught off guard. "You-"
He turned to the other, brows pulling together. "How do you even know I like this place?"
He paused, just for a second too long. "You told me."
"When?" Ricky asked immediately.
Another pause. Shorter this time, but still there. "A while ago."
Ricky stared at him, something uneasy settling in. "…We're not that close."
The other’s' expression flickered, barely noticeable, but it was there. "We are."
Ricky let out a small, disbelieving laugh. "No, we're not. I think I'd remember if we were."
That hit something, he took in the way his jaw tightened slightly, in the way he looked away for a second before forcing a small smile back on.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "You would."
Ricky watched him, confusion growing. "Then why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?"
"Like we're…" he trailed off, gesturing vaguely between them. "Something."
The other exhaled softly, pushing the door open and holding it there, even as the moment stretched.
"Just come eat first," he said. "You always get more annoyed when you're hungry."
Ricky didn't move immediately.
"…That's not something you should know either," he muttered.
His grip on the door tightened for a second before he relaxed again. "You say that like I'm a stranger."
Ricky met his eyes then, properly this time. "Aren't you?" That one landed harder.
For a second, he didn't respond. He just looked at him, something heavy and unreadable sitting behind his eyes.
"…No..?" he said finally, voice quieter now. "I'm really not."
Ricky hesitated before nodding as he stepped inside, even if nothing about this was making sense anymore.
As they took a seat, Ricky finally took everything in.
He glanced down at his hands, eyes widening slightly, his breath catching as his gaze fixed on the ring sitting on his finger. Slowly, almost mechanically, he looked up at the other, his jaw parting as he noticed the matching ring on his hand too.
What… the fuck?
His thoughts spiraled instantly, too fast, too loud. When did this happen? How did this happen? Why does it feel like it's been there this whole time?
The person sitting across from him didn't react, or maybe he noticed and chose not to. He didn't even bother looking at the menu as the waitress came over.
"The usual," the other said easily, a small, polite smile on his face. "For both of us."
The waitress nodded, then added with a glance between them, "Of course, Mr. and Mr. Kim."
Ricky's head snapped up so fast it almost hurt.
Kim?
The word echoed in his head, slotting into place with everything else that wasn't making sense.
…I'm married… to Kim Gyuvin??
Panic flickered across his face, but the waitress was already gone, like this was normal, like they were normal.
Ricky stared at the table, then back at his hand, his thumb brushing over the ring like it might disappear if he checked again.
The usual? Kim? Where are we? How did this-
"Ricky, are you alright?"
Ricky blinked, his thoughts snapping apart as he looked up. Gyuvin was already watching him, brows drawn just slightly, like he'd been paying more attention than he let on.
"Yeah," Ricky said too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Gyuvin held his gaze for a second longer, like he didn't quite believe it, before humming softly and leaning back in his seat. "You just look like you're about to fight the table."
Ricky let out a short laugh, the sound a little tight. "Maybe I am."
"The table's gonna win," Gyuvin said lightly.
Ricky huffed, looking away, but his fingers curled slightly against his palm, the ring still there, still real.
The silence stretched again, not entirely uncomfortable, like there was something he was supposed to know, something everyone else already did.
His eyes drifted up again without meaning to.
Gyuvin looked completely at ease, like this was routine, like this was something they'd done a hundred times before. The way he sat, the way he reached for the water without looking, even the way he pushed the second glass slightly toward Ricky without thinking.
Ricky swallowed, looking back down quickly.
Why does he act like this is normal?
"Stop overthinking," Gyuvin said suddenly.
Ricky stiffened. "I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm literally not," Ricky insisted, a bit sharper now.
Gyuvin just smiled faintly, like he wasn't buying it at all. "You do that thing with your hands."
Ricky immediately stilled them.
"…I don't," he muttered.
"You do," Gyuvin replied, not even looking up this time as he adjusted the cutlery slightly. "You always have."
That word again.
Always.
Ricky's chest tightened, something twisting uncomfortably as he forced a shrug. "You talk like you know me or something."
Gyuvin's movements slowed just a fraction before returning to normal. "I do."
Ricky didn't respond.
He just looked down at his hand again, thumb pressing harder against the ring now, like he was trying to get himself together.
Ricky shifted in his seat, restless, his gaze drifting around the restaurant just to avoid looking at Gyuvin for too long. That's when he caught a familiar face at the table beside them.
Taerae.
And Yujin.
Ricky froze for a second, eyes widening slightly in disbelief, before quickly looking away. Of course, they'd be here. Of course, out of all places, it had to be here.
He risked another glance, just to make sure he wasn't imagining it. Taerae was mid-sentence, Yujin nodding along, completely unaware.
Ricky swallowed.
Okay. Okay, this is fine. I can just-
"I'll be back," Gyuvin said suddenly, already pushing his chair back. "Restroom."
Ricky nodded a little too quickly. "Yeah. Yeah, go."
The second Gyuvin disappeared out of sight, something in Ricky snapped into action.
He stood up abruptly, stepping over to the other table and grabbing Taerae by the collar, pulling him up slightly. Taerae puffed up instantly, eyes wide like a startled duck.
"Ricky, ah, what are you-"
"Why am I married?" Ricky blurted out, words tumbling over each other in a rushed whisper. "Since when am I married? To him? To Kim Gyuvin? What is going on?"
Taerae blinked at him.
Once.
Twice.
"…What?"
Yujin stared between them, completely lost. "Wait, what?"
"I have a ring," Ricky continued, holding up his hand like evidence, his voice still low but panicked. "He has a matching one. The waitress just called us Mr. and Mr. Kim. Taerae, what is happening?"
Taerae's mouth opened, then closed.
"…This isn't funny," he said slowly.
"I'm not joking," Ricky snapped, grip tightening slightly on his collar. "I don't remember any of this."
That did it.
Taerae's expression shifted, confusion turning into something more serious, his brows pulling together as he looked at Ricky properly.
"Ricky…" he started carefully.
Before he could continue, Yujin suddenly reached over and smacked Ricky across the face.
The sound was sharp enough to make Taerae flinch.
"Hyung, breathe, you're not breathing," Yujin said, grabbing Ricky's wrist and pulling his hand down. "Stop freaking out."
Ricky blinked, stunned for a second, his thoughts stuttering from the impact.
"I am freaking out," he shot back, though quieter now, his voice shaking just slightly. "I think that's a normal reaction."
Yujin frowned, still confused but trying. "You're acting like you don't know him."
Ricky laughed weakly. "That's because I don't."
Taerae went very still at that.
"…You don't remember Gyuvin?" he asked.
Ricky shook his head immediately. "No. I mean, I know of him, but not like this. Not…" he gestured vaguely, lowering his voice even more, "not married."
Taerae glanced at Yujin, then back at Ricky, something uneasy settling in.
"…Okay," he said slowly. "Okay, don't panic."
"I'm already panicking."
"I said don't," Taerae insisted, though his own voice wasn't as steady as usual. "Just listen to me for a second."
Ricky ran a hand through his hair, breathing unevenly but forcing himself to stay still.
Taerae hesitated before speaking more slowly. "It's been a year," he said as Ricky froze. "What?"
"Your families arranged it," Taerae continued carefully. "For business. You know… and you both knew about everything."
Yujin nodded quickly beside him. "Yeah, it wasn't forced or anything. You agreed to it. Both of you did."
Ricky stared at them, his mind trying to catch up and failing.
"…No," he muttered under his breath. "I would remember that."
"You did," Taerae said, a little firmer now. "You signed the papers, you went through with it, you even told us it was easier this way."
Ricky's stomach twisted.
"Easier?" he repeated.
"You said it would keep things clean," Taerae went on. "No drama, it helped both sides, then figure things out after."
Yujin added, "You even made rules. Like, actual …proper rules."
Ricky let out a shaky breath, shaking his head again.
"That doesn't sound like me."
Taerae gave him a look. "It does."
Silence hit hard after that.
Ricky looked down at his hand again, at the ring that suddenly felt heavier than before.
A year…?
A whole year?
"…And him?" Ricky asked quietly, almost like he didn't want the answer.
Taerae hesitated for a split second.
"He agreed too," he said. "He's been… really normal about it."
"Normal?" Ricky echoed.
Yujin nodded. "Yeah. You two don't act like strangers, hyung."
That twisted something deeper in Ricky's chest. Because that was the problem. It didn't feel like they were strangers.
"…Then why don't I remember any of it?" he whispered.
Neither of them had an answer for that. The three of them fell into a tense silence, broken only by the distant noise of the restaurant around them.
And then Taerae's eyes flicked past Ricky's shoulder. "…He's coming back," he muttered.
Ricky stiffened immediately.
His grip on Taerae's collar loosened before he let go completely, stepping back as if nothing had happened. Taerae smoothed his shirt down quickly, shooting him a look, while Yujin just stared, still trying to process everything.
"Go," Taerae muttered under his breath. "Act normal."
Ricky let out a quiet, humorless breath. Act normal? Right.
He turned, forcing his expression into something neutral as he walked back to his table. Each step felt heavier than the last, like he was walking back into something he didn't understand but was somehow already part of.
By the time he sat down, Gyuvin was already there, sliding his phone onto the table.
"You disappeared," Gyuvin said, glancing at him.
"Just saw someone I knew," Ricky replied, reaching for his glass.
"Taerae hyung?" Gyuvin asked, like it was obvious.
Ricky paused for half a second. "…Yeah."
Gyuvin nodded, like that made sense, like of course it would be Taerae.
Ricky took a small sip of water, avoiding eye contact.
"You could've said hi properly," Gyuvin added. "We usually sit together if we run into them."
We usually.
Ricky's fingers tightened slightly around the glass. "I just…Didn't feel like it."
Gyuvin glanced at him, something unreadable passing through his expression, but he didn't push. "That's okay."
The food arrived not long after, and the waitress set everything down with ease.
"Enjoy," she said with a smile before leaving again.
Ricky stared at the dishes in front of him.
They looked… right.
Before he could do anything, Gyuvin's hand moved first, and he pulled Ricky's plate a little closer to himself.
Ricky blinked. "What are you-"
Gyuvin didn't answer, just focused on cutting the food into smaller, neat pieces as if muscle memory. "…You always complain when it's too big," he said softly. "So just-"
He nudged the plate back toward Ricky.
"-Eat, okay?"
Ricky stared at it.
Everything was cut up exactly, almost too neatly.
Just as he likes it.
Something in his chest tightened. "…You didn't have to do that," Ricky said, quieter now.
Gyuvin shrugged, like it was nothing. "I know."
That wasn't the point.
Ricky picked up his fork slowly, hesitating before taking a bite.
It was easier to eat.
Of course it was.
He swallowed, his grip tightening slightly.
"Thanks," he muttered, almost under his breath.
Gyuvin just hummed in response, already eating like this was normal, like he hadn't just done something that felt way too… intimate for something that was supposed to be nothing.
Silence settled again, heavier this time. Ricky kept his eyes on his plate, but his mind wouldn't stop.
He knows how I like my food.
He orders for me.
He knows my habits.
A year…
His gaze flickered up for a second.
Gyuvin looked completely at ease, like none of this was strange, like this was just another day.
Ricky looked back down quickly. "…do you always do that?" he asked suddenly.
Gyuvin glanced up. "Do what?"
"Like," Ricky said, gesturing slightly at his plate. "Cut it like that."
A small pause. "Yeah," Gyuvin said. "Most of the time."
Ricky nodded slowly, like he was processing something much bigger than the question. "…Right."
Gyuvin watched him for a moment, then looked back down at his own food. "You didn't mind it before," he added, more quietly.
That made Ricky's chest feel tight again; everything was as it was before.
"Yeah," Ricky said, forcing it out. "I don't mind." And that part, at least, wasn't a lie.
Ricky kept his head down for the rest of the meal, answering when he had to, nodding when it was enough, but his mind never really left.
At some point, while Gyuvin was distracted for a second, Ricky slipped his phone out under the table.
Ricky: Where are you?
Ricky: Don't leave.
Ricky: Just stay somewhere close.
Ricky: Please
The reply came almost immediately.
Taerae: We're not leaving, relax
Taerae: We'll follow or something
Taerae: just don't act weird
Ricky exhaled slowly, shoulders easing just a little.
Okay.
He could do this.
At least he wouldn't be alone.
When the bill came, Ricky reached for it without thinking.
"I'll get it-"
His fingers barely touched the folder before Gyuvin's hand covered it, stopping him.
Ricky blinked, looking up.
Gyuvin frowned like Ricky just said something weird. "What are you doing?"
"…Paying?" Ricky said, equally confused.
Gyuvin let out a small laugh. "Since when?"
And Ricky froze.
Gyuvin shook his head, already pulling the bill toward himself. "I always pay, Ricky."
Oh.
"…Right," Ricky muttered, pulling his hand back.
Gyuvin glanced at him again, like he was trying to read something off his face, but didn't say anything more as he handed over his card.
Ricky just sat there, hands folded in his lap now.
I don't even know that…
"Dessert?" Gyuvin said once they were outside, unlocking the car.
"I'm fine," Ricky replied automatically.
"You're not," Gyuvin said, opening the door. "Come on. You like dessert when you're like this."
Ricky hesitated before getting in the car.
The dessert shop was warm and softly lit, the kind of place that felt quiet in a nice way, and somehow, Taerae and Yujin were already there.
Ricky spotted them instantly, seated at a table away, pretending really badly to be normal.
He almost smiled.
They sat down as the waitress came over with a bright expression.
"Hi, welcome back," she said warmly, eyes flicking between them. "The usual again?"
Gyuvin smiled a little. "Yeah. Mango for me."
The waitress nodded, then looked at Ricky with a softer smile. "And a strawberry for you, right?"
Ricky paused for half a second, then nodded. "…Yeah."
"Got it," she said, scribbling it down. "I'll make them extra pretty today."
Ricky blinked slightly at that.
"Extra pretty?" Gyuvin repeated, amused.
The waitress grinned. "You always say he eats better when it looks nice."
Ricky's head turned toward Gyuvin immediately, and Gyuvin didn't even deny it. "He does."
Ricky looked away again, ears warming just slightly.
"Okay, give me a few minutes," the waitress said before heading off.
Ricky leaned back, glancing around. Taerae was staring. Ricky shot him a look.
Stop.
Taerae immediately looked down as Yujin gave him a small thumbs-up.
Ricky had to look away before he laughed.
"…What?" Gyuvin asked.
"Nothing," Ricky said, shaking his head. "Just people around."
Gyuvin hummed. "You always do that here."
Always.
Ricky didn't fight the word this time.
The desserts arrived a few minutes later. They were… kind of ridiculous.
Gyuvin's mango dessert was shaped into a soft swirl, pale yellow with a light blush pink drizzle over the top, and little fruit pieces cut neatly along the side.
Ricky's was even worse.
A soft strawberry mousse, light pink, glossy, topped with tiny heart-shaped slices and a swirl of cream that made it look almost too cute to eat.
The waitress set them down carefully. "See? Extra pretty."
Ricky stared at it.
"…This is a lot," he said, but there was a small smile there now.
"You're not allowed to complain," Gyuvin said. "You'll still finish it."
Ricky scoffed lightly. "I might."
The waitress laughed softly. "You always do," she said, then walked off.
Ricky picked up his spoon, hesitating for a second before taking a bite.
He let out a small breath.
"…Good?" Gyuvin asked.
Ricky nodded. "Yeah."
At that moment, things just… settled. Gyuvin talked a little, nothing heavy, just small things, and Ricky found himself responding without overthinking every word.
Across the room, Taerae and Yujin faded into the background. And slowly, Ricky stopped checking.
Stopped spiraling.
Stopped trying to figure everything out all at once.
Maybe…
He looked down at his dessert, then at his hands.
Maybe this is just my normal now.
It didn't feel right.
But it didn't feel wrong either.
Under the table, he pulled his phone out again.
Ricky: It's fine.
Ricky: I'm fine now.
Ricky: idk what that was earlier
taerae: …okay
taerae: we're still here
Ricky smiled faintly, locking his phone.
When he looked up, Gyuvin was already watching him.
"What?" Ricky asked.
"Nothing," Gyuvin said. "You just look better."
Ricky hesitated, then nodded once. "Yeah, I am."
The drive back was quiet; however, this time it wasn't awkward. Ricky kept glancing out the window, then at his hands, then at Gyuvin's grip on the wheel like he was trying to find something stable.
When they pulled into a parking area, Gyuvin turned the engine off. "Ready?" he asked.
Ricky hesitated, then nodded.
They got out, and when Gyuvin walked ahead, unlocking the door to a place Ricky had never consciously seen before but somehow didn't feel completely foreign, Ricky stood still for a second longer.
The door clicked open.
Warm light spilled out.
Gyuvin turned slightly. "Coming?"
Ricky stared at the doorway and then at him.
"…Yeah," he said quietly before stepping inside.
And immediately froze. It wasn't just a house, it was… his life.
The downstairs opened into a wide, modern kitchen on one side, with clean counters, soft lighting, and everything looking lived in but carefully kept. The living room sat opposite, comfortable and open, a couch slightly angled like someone had fallen asleep there before and never bothered fixing it.
And the walls-
Ricky's eyes stopped there.
Photos, a whole wall of them, not random ones either.
Ricky took in some blurry candid shots of Gyuvin leaning in slightly too close in another, food pictures, travel pictures, dumb selfies, strips of instant camera prints lined neatly, like someone had been collecting time itself.
There was even a small shelf nearby with things stacked carefully. Camera equipment. Lenses. Little paint tubes. Brushes. Things that didn't look decorative. Like they belonged to someone who actually lived here.
Ricky stood very still.
"…This is…" he started, then stopped.
Gyuvin shut the door behind them. "Our place."
Ricky turned his head slightly. "Right."
He didn't move further in yet, just taking it in as if he looked hard enough, it might rearrange itself into something familiar.
Gyuvin kicked off his shoes casually, like this was the most normal thing in the world. "Upstairs is where we actually stay most of the time."
"…Upstairs?" Ricky repeated.
"Yeah." Gyuvin nodded toward the stairs. "Living room's up there, too. You usually go straight there when you get home."
Usually.
Ricky's chest tightened slightly again, and he followed slowly.
The stairs opened into another space, softer than below. A second living room, more lived in, blankets folded messily on one side, a low table with random things scattered across it, a speaker still faintly glowing like it had been used recently.
And then he saw the two doors. One on the left, and one on the right.
Perfectly placed on either side of the shared living space.
Gyuvin noticed him looking. "That's your room," he said, nodding to the left casually, "Mine's there."
Ricky stared at the doors.
"…We have separate rooms?" he asked.
Gyuvin glanced at him. "Yeah." and like it was nothing, he added, "But you usually end up in mine anyway."
Ricky blinked. "I do?"
"Sometimes I go to yours too," Gyuvin continued, shrugging slightly. "Depends."
Ricky slowly looked between the two doors again.
"…Why?"
Gyuvin gave him a look like the answer should've been obvious. "Because we're married."
Ricky opened his mouth, then closed it again.
That should've helped.
It didn't.
He stepped further in, eyes still scanning the space as it might suddenly start explaining itself.
There were little things everywhere now that he was noticing, a hoodie draped over the couch arm that looked like it had been thrown there mid-conversation. A pair of mugs on the counter upstairs that didn't match but clearly went together anyway. A shared charger on the table between the rooms. Nothing felt staged, everything felt… used.
Ricky stopped near the middle of the room.
"…This is a lot," he said quietly.
Gyuvin leaned against the back of the couch, watching him. "Yeah?"
Ricky nodded once. "It's just… I don't remember any of it."
That finally made Gyuvin's expression shift slightly. "You don't have to figure it out all tonight," he said.
Ricky let out a small breath. "…I know... but."
But his eyes still kept drifting back to everything around him.
The photos, the rooms, the house. The way this place didn't feel like someone else's house. It felt like it was waiting for him to remember he belonged in it.
Ricky stayed still for a moment longer, eyes still scanning the upstairs space like it might shift if he stared long enough.
The small signs of a life he apparently lived but couldn't reach.
He turned slightly toward Gyuvin.
"…Why are you explaining all of this to me?" Ricky asked quietly.
Gyuvin paused mid-step.
Ricky frowned a little, pushing on before he could stop himself. "You're acting like this is normal. Like I'm just… forgetting a schedule or something."
His voice wasn't accusing exactly. Gyuvin looked at him for a second, then leaned back slightly against the couch again.
"I don't know," he said simply.
Ricky blinked. "What do you mean you don't know?"
Gyuvin shrugged once, slowly. "You look confused."
Ricky let out a short, disbelieving breath. "Yeah. I am confused."
"I can see that," Gyuvin replied, as if it were obvious.
Ricky gestured slightly around them. "So you're just… casually walking me through my entire life like I didn't just wake up in it?"
Gyuvin didn't respond immediately.
He looked at him properly then, like he was trying to decide something. Then he said, softer, "What else do you want me to do?"
Ricky opened his mouth. Then stopped. Because he didn't actually know the answer to that.
Gyuvin continued after a moment, voice still calm. "You didn't remember the restaurant, you didn't remember the bill thing, and now you're standing in your own house like it's not yours."
Ricky's chest tightened slightly.
Gyuvin tilted his head just a little. "So I'm explaining it. That's it."
Ricky looked away for a second, jaw tightening.
"…You're really calm about this," he muttered.
Gyuvin let out a small, almost tired breath. "I've had time to be confused already."
That made Ricky pause."…What does that mean?"
Gyuvin didn't answer right away. Instead, he pushed off the couch slightly, walking a step closer but stopping at a respectful distance.
"It means," he said carefully, "I didn't just meet you today."
Ricky swallowed. "I know that," he said quickly, "I just don't remember it."
Gyuvin nodded once, like he understood that distinction mattered. "Yeah," he said. "I can tell."
A beat of silence stretched between them again.
Then Gyuvin added, a little softer, "You're safe here. That's the main thing."
Ricky didn't answer immediately. His eyes drifted back to the stairs, then to the photos downstairs, then back to Gyuvin.
Still unfamiliar, yet.
Still his husband.
Still, someone who spoke about him as if he mattered in every small detail.
"…Okay," Ricky said finally.
Gyuvin gave a small nod, like that was enough for now, for the first time since the morning, no one pushed him to understand faster than he could.
Ricky stood in his room for a moment after Gyuvin showed him where everything was, still trying to process the layout of the house.
His room was softer, more warm-toned, a little pinkish in the details without being obvious about it. It felt lived in, like he was supposed to feel comfortable there without thinking too hard about it.
Across the hall was Gyuvin's room, darker, more brown and navy shades, more structured but still clearly lived in, and in between them was the shared living room upstairs.
The formal one downstairs for guests, but the actual one they used. The one right between their rooms, like a space that belonged to both of them without question. Couch, TV, a little table, and random things scattered around that looked like both of theirs mixed without care.
Ricky stared at it for a second longer than he meant to.
"…okay," he muttered.
Gyuvin had already told him, "You can shower first."
Ricky had just nodded and gone.
Now, after showering, he stood in his room for a second, hair still slightly damp, and changed into something soft without really remembering choosing it.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
Still him.
He let out a breath and stepped out. The room was quiet. Light spilling softly from the shared living room.
Ricky hesitated at the doorway for a second, then walked out.
Gyuvin was already there, sitting on the couch, phone in hand, hair still slightly damp as if he had just showered as well. He looked relaxed, like he belonged there without thinking about it.
He looked up. "Done?"
"Yeah," Ricky said, then added after a second, "This room is weird."
Gyuvin glanced around slightly. "Why?"
Ricky stepped closer slowly, eyes still scanning the space. "It's like… both of ours."
"That's because it is," Gyuvin said simply.
Ricky nodded. It didn't help, yet still made sense at the same time.
He walked over and sat down next to him, a little too close, close enough that it wasn't really normal either.
Gyuvin glanced at him, and Ricky didn't move away. He just leaned back into the couch slightly, like he was testing something without fully knowing what it was.
"…this is still weird," Ricky said.
"Which part?" Gyuvin asked.
"All of it," Ricky said honestly.
A pause.
Then Gyuvin set his phone down. "You're sitting closer than usual," he said.
Ricky looked at him. "Am I?"
"Yeah."
Ricky hummed slightly. "…and you're not moving away."
Gyuvin shook his head a little. "Should I?"
Ricky held his gaze for a second.
Then quietly, "no."
Gyuvin paused slightly at that, and Ricky looked away first, leaning back more into the couch.
"… I just wanted to see something," he said.
"What?" Gyuvin asked.
"If it feels wrong," Ricky said.
Silence stretched for a second before Gyuvin said, "And?"
Ricky hesitated and answered, "…it doesn't."
Gyuvin nodded once, "Okay," he said, a small smile sneaking onto his face.